Process of separating metals from their ores.



PATENTED OCT. 2, 1906.

G. H. WATBRBURY. PROCESS 0F SEPARATING METALS PROM THEIR ORES.

V APPLICATION FILED 11113.27. 1 905.

GEORGE HOBART WATERBURY.

OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN J. HUDDAR'If, OF DENVER. COLORADO.

PRooi-:ss oF SEPARATIN'G METALS FnoM THEIR ones.

Specication of Lettere?. Patent. l

Patented Qct. 2, 1906.

Application sied March 27.1905. serial No. 252.204.

-Tn all whom, it .n1/my concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HOBART WA- TERBURY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a certain new and useful Process of Se )arating Metals from Their Ores; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speoiiication.

My invention relates to a process. of separating the more valuable metals from their ores. Belong'ing to this class of metals which my process is es ecially designed to treat may be mentione platinum, gold, siiver, copper, uranium, vanadium, &c.

In carrying out the process the ore is first pulverized to a suitable mesh, preferably from thirty to two hundred iine, or of such fineness that it may be passed through a screen having from thirty to two hundred meshes or openings to the square inch. After the ore has been thus pulverized it is placed in a suitable tank in the bottom of which lis a corkscrew coil of perforated pipe, from one stem of which pipe connection 1s made with air under pressure and from the other stem.

with steam under similar pressure, whereby the steam and air mingle on their way to the perforated coil. In this tank is placedV a soution composed of water, common salt, potassium or sodium nitrate, and sulfurous acid. The air and steam under pressure `having been 4turned on, the pulverizedv ore is discharged into the tank, the mass being simultaneously heated and agitated as the ore ma require. This agitation is co'ntinued until the metal' contained in the ore is put into solution, after which this solution 1s drawn off and finally delivered to one orv more precipi-` tating-tanks. Into these tanks containing the metal values in solution a solution of sulfureted hydrogen gas HQS is forced by air under pressure, whereby the metal or metals contained thereinl are precipitated in suliid form. When the ingredients forming the action takes place between the salt, sulfurous acid, and crude nitrates, the said ingredients being brought together in suitable proportions. The sulfurous acid coming in contact with the salt and nitrates liberates, the chlorin, which when comb-ined with air and steam makes a form of hydrochloric-acid gas, a gas which it has been found will dissolve most metals very readily. The introduction of air into the precipitating tank or tanks is accomplished by means of a corkscrew coil of perforated pipe similar to that in the leaching-tank, thel air bein pressure at the bottom o the tank. The sulureted hydrogen gas is formed in a generintroduced under ator composed of 'suitable material, as wood or metal. 'In this tanklis placed a solution of sulfur and lime or sulfur and caustic soda, to which is added a small amount of sulfurous acid 4for the generation of the sulfureted hydro en gas. The air when introduced to this tan under pressure forces the as out of the generator through a pi e whic is suitably connected with a precipltating tank or tanks, whereby the gas is introduced to the solution in the recipitating-tanks through the instrumenta ity ofthe lperforated'cor screw coils. The oxygenv of the air performs an important function in the precipitation of the metals.

Suitable a paratus for practicing my process will now e described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the various tanks of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top view in detail of the corkscrew coil. Fig. 3 is ay cross-section taken through the coil in connection with the bottom of the tank, the parts being shown on a larger scale. The same reference characters indlcate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate theleachingtank and 6 the ore therein. In the bottom of this tank is a perforated pipe-coil 7, with which is connected a stand-pipe 8, connected with pipes 9 and 10, leading 1n opposite directions. In each of these pipes 1s located a controlling-valve 12. The pipe 9 may be termed a steam-pipe or a pipe for lntroducing steam to the eaching-tan'k, while the pipe` 10 may be termed an IOO air-pi e.or a pipe for introducing air to the tan Near connected this tank, and from 1t lead dedischarged intothe precipitating-tanks 18,

V'each of which contains a corksi-.rew coil 19,

connected with a valve-controlled stand-pipe 20. "lhfse pipes 2() are connected with a conduit 2l leading from a tank 2, containing a solution 23 of sulfureted hydrogen gas. Leading downwardly into the bottom of the tank 23 is a pipe 24, provided with a'valve 25, through which air may be introduced to the bottom of the tank for the purpose of forcing thel sulfureted hydrogen gas into the prccipitatingtanks 18, as heretofore explained, whereby their contents are thorou hly agitated.

n the practice of the processthe leaching solution 1s firstplaced in the tank, after which the air and steam are' turned on. The ore to` be treated is then discharged into the solution, the llatter .being simultaneously heated and agitated until the vmetals in the ore are placed in solution. 'A valve 26 inthe outlet 13 is then opened and the solution drained'off into a tank 14, frornwhich it is carried to thev precipitating-tanks 18, into which the sulfureted hydrogen gas is introduced through the instrumentality of the conduit 2'1, the stand-pipes 20, and the coils in the bottoms of the tanks, as heretofore explain'ed. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 4trodu'ction o y 1. The herein-describedleaching process `consisting in placing suitably-pulverized ore in a tank containing a solution composed of water, common salt, alkali-metal nitrate and sulfurous acid, and subjecting the pulp thus formed to the action of air and steam simultaneously introduced. i

2. The herein-described process of separating metals from their ores, consisting in placing the ore to be treated in a solutlon composed of water, common salt, alkali-metal nitrate and sulfurous acid, subjecting the ore to be treated to heat and a 'tation simultaneously, whereby the meta lic values are dissolved; drawing off the solution and finally precipitating the metallic values by the introduction of sulfureted hydrogen'gas.

3. Y The herein-described rocess of separating valuable metals from tlheir ores, consisting in placing the ore to be treated 1n asolution com osed of' Water, salt, alkali-metal nitrate an( sulfurous acid, subjecting'the same to heat and a itation by the simultaneous inig air and steam; drawingl off the solution and precipitating the metallic values by the introduction to the solution' v'of sulfureted hydrogen gas, the gas being forced into the solution by air under pressure.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaure in presence of two Witnesses.

' GEORGE HOBART WATERBURY. Witnesses:

A. J; OBRIEN, DENA NELsoN.4 

